Adsorption thermal storage apparatus and adsorption thermal storage system including the same

ABSTRACT

An adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel comprising therein a refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communication with each other, the former section including an adsorbent and finned heat transfer tubes, the latter section including heat transfer tubes placed in dishes. An adsorption thermal storage system comprising the aforesaid apparatus; a heat source (e.g. a condenser of a compression refrigerator) for adsorbent heating; a cold source (e.g. an evaporator) for refrigerant condensation; an exothermic heat source (e.g. cooling tower); an endothermic heat source (e.g. air cooling coil); and a utilization equipment (e.g. air conditioner), the foregoing elements being connected so that during thermal storage period, the adsorbent heating or cooling section and the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section communicate with the heat source and the cold source, respectively, whereas during utilization period, the adsorbent section communicates with the exothermic heat source or heat utilization equipment and the refrigerant section communicates with cold utilization equipment or the endothermic heat source. By the desorption, the refrigerant is condensed and thermal energy is stored whereas cold is generated by latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid and heat, by adsorption heat of the refrigerant vapor, whereby heat and cold may be utilized singly or simultaneously.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an adsorption thermal storage apparatus and anadsorption thermal storage system including the apparatus. Moreparticularly, this invention is concerned with the aforesaid apparatusand the thermal storage system particularly suitable for propelling theleveling of consumption of electric power by utilizing nighttimeelectric power.

2. Statement of Prior Art

Recent increase in demand for electric power is noticeable and itespecially, poses a social problem that the demand for electric powershows a tendency to be concentrated in the daytime.

In order to cope with this tendency and to level off the utilization ofelectric power, so-called thermal storage systems have receivedattention in the field of air conditioning equipment for space heatingor space cooling in which a refrigerator is run in the nighttime whenthe capacity of electric power is relatively replete to thereby storethermal energy, and the thermal energy is utilized in the form of cold(lower-temperature heat) and heat (higher-temperature heat) in thedaytime when the demand for electric power is elevated.

Here, throughout the specification and claims, the terms, "cold" and"heat" are used to mean heat of a lower temperature and heat of a highertemperature, respectively, than the environmental temperature.

At the present time, known thermal energy storage systems include, forexample, a water thermal storage system wherein thermal energy is storedby sensible heat of water, an ice thermal storage system wherein thermalenergy is stored by the latent heat of melting ice, a thermal storagesystem utilizing a thermal storage material, etc.

Each of the thermal storage systems has both advantages anddisadvantages, and consequently, these systems are utilized selectivelyand appropriately in accordance with the intended purposes.

However, a difficulty with the water thermal storage system is that inorder to obtain required cold and heat, a large quantity of water isnecessitated for thermal energy storage, and accordingly, is in need ofa considerably huge thermal storage tank, as a result of which theoverall system is made large-sized.

The ice thermal storage system doesn't require such a huge tank, but isforced to reduce appreciably the evaporation temperature of arefrigerator since thermal energy is stored in the form of ice at 0° C.Because of this, the lowering of thermal storage efficiency isunavoidable. Furthermore, the system is not suited to equal thermalstorage for cold and heat because the thermal storage quantity for heatis appreciably slight as compared with that for cold, being 1/4 to 1/5time.

With the system utilizing a thermal storage material, the thermalstorage material per se is considerably expensive and short in lifetime,and distinct thermal storage materials must be used for cold and heat,which makes the piping system complicated.

In order to solve the problems above with the existing thermal storagesystems, this invention has been accomplished and is designed to providean improved thermal storage apparatus and an ameliorated thermal storagesystem including 10 the apparatus, which system permits to make theoverall system compact, to enhance the thermal storage efficiency whennighttime electric power is used, and to permit equalized thermalstorage for cold and heat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of this invention for meeting the foregoingobjects, there is provided an improved adsorption thermal storageapparatus having an evacuated vessel which comprises therein arefrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and arefrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communicationwith each other, the adsorbent heating or cooling section including anadsorbent and first heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbentand having heat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbenttherethrough, the first heat transfer means being adapted to beconnected to a heat source for adsorbent heating, an exothermic heatsource and utilization means, the refrigerant condensing or evaporatingsection including second heat transfer means for holding the refrigerantliquid and having heat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporatingthe refrigerant therethrough, the second heat transfer means beingadapted to be connected to a cold source for refrigerant condensation,an endothermic heat source, and the utilization means, which apparatusis constructed so that thermal energy is stored by heating the adsorbentthrough the first heat transfer means to cause desorption of therefrigerant in gaseous state and condensing the gaseous refrigerantthrough the second heat transfer means whereas cold is generated bylatent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid through the secondheat transfer means and heat is generated by heat of adsorption of thedesorbed adsorbent through the first heat transfer means, and the coldand heat may be utilized singly or simultaneously.

According to another aspect of this invention, an adsorption thermalstorage system is provided, which comprises: an adsorption thermalstorage apparatus having an evacuated vessel comprising therein arefrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and arefrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communicationwith each other, the adsorbent heating or cooling section including anadsorbent and first heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbentand having heat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbenttherethrough, the refrigerant condensing or evaporating sectionincluding second heat transfer means for holding the refrigerant andhaving heat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporating therefrigerant therethrough; a heat source for heating the adsorbentadapted to be connected to the first heat transfer means; a cold sourcefor condensing the refrigerant adapted to be connected to the secondheat transfer means; an exothermic heat source for cooling the adsorbentadapted to be connected to the first heat transfer means; an endothermicheat source for evaporating the refrigerant adapted to be connected tothe second heat transfer means; and utilization means adapted to beconnected the first and second heat transfer means; the adsorptionthermal storage apparatus, the heat source, the cold source, theexothermic heat source, the endothermic heat source, and the utilizationmeans being interconnected so that when the system is operated, duringthermal storage period, thermal energy is stored by putting the heatsource and cold source, respectively, in communication with the firstand second heat transfer means, thereby to desorb the refrigerant ingaseous state and condense it in liquid state whereas during utilizationperiod, cold is generated by putting the exothermic heat source andutilization means in communication with the first and second heattransfer means, respectively, and heat is generated by putting theendothermic heat source and utilization means in communication with thesecond and first heat transfer means, respectively, thereby to evaporatethe refrigerant liquid and adsorb it in liquid state, tho cold and heatbeing utilized singly or simultaneously.

In the adsorption thermal storage system as stated above, according toanother embodiment, the system is operated so that during theutilization period, the heat source and the cold source are put incommunication with the first and the second heat transfer means,respectively, as is the case with the thermal storage period, wherebyfurther low-temperature cold and further high-temperature heat aregenerated and can be utilized singly or simultaneously.

More specifically stated, where the heat source and the cold source area compression refrigerator, its condenser and evaporator, respectively,and the compression refrigerator is driven by the nighttime electricpower, it is petered that thermal energy is stored in the nighttimewhereas cold and heat are generated and utilized in the daytime.Consequently, such system is advantageous from the economical viewpointin that leveling of the consumption of electric power is attained andthe operation cost of the system is curtailed owing to more economicalnighttime electric power fare.

The utilization means for utilizing cold or heat may be an airconditioner for space heating or space cooling, a cold water supplyequipment or a hot water supply equipment.

In the adsorption thermal storage system thus constructed, duringthermal storage period, the adsorbent is heated in the adsorbent heatingor cooling section through the first heat transfer means by putting itin communication with the heat source, and refrigerant vapor is givenoff from the adsorbent, concurrently with which the refrigerant vapor iscooled in the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section through thesecond heat transfer means by putting it in communication with the coldsource whereby the refrigerant is condensed on the heat transfersurfaces in liquid state.

During the utilization period, in the refrigerant condensing orevaporating section, the refrigerant liquid is evaporated by putting thesecond heat transfer means in communication with, so-to-speak, autilization side heat source (the utilization means for cooling orendothermic heat source) to generate latent heat of evaporation wherebycold is made available whereas in the adsorbent heating or coolingsection, the desorbed adsorbent is cooled by putting the first heattransfer means in communication with, so-to-speak, a utilization sidecold source (the exothermic heat source or utilization means forheating) to adsorb the refrigerant vapor given off on the adsorbent andrelease adsorption heat whereby heat is made available. Here, the coldand heat may be utilized singly or simultaneously.

Where the cold and heat are utilized simultaneously, a combination ofthe utilization means for cooling and the exothermic heat source or acombination of the endothermic heat source and the utilization means forheating is possible, and the exothermic heat source in the former andthe endothermic heat source in the latter serve as a utilization meansfor heating and a utilization means for cooling, respectively. Examplesof such combination of cold and heat include an air conditioner forspace cooling and a hot water supply equipment; an air conditioner forspace heating and a cold water supply equipment; etc.

Conversely where the cold or heat is utilized singly, the other heat andcold obtained in the exothermic heat source in the former and theendothermic heat source in the latter are not used and discarded.Examples of the endothermic heat source and the exothermic heat sourceinclude, respectively, an air cooling coil or waste hot water; and acooling tower.

Particularly where the heat source for heating the adsorbent and thecold source for condensing the refrigerant are a compressionrefrigerator, its condenser and evaporator, respectively, in thenighttime, the system is operated to store thermal energy by nighttimeelectric power whereas in the daytime, the compression refrigerator isstopped and the thermal energy is utilized as cold and/or heat. As aresult, more efficient utilization of energy and levelling of theconsumption between the daytime and nighttime of electric power areattained.

The heat source for heating the adsorbent and the cold source forcondensing the refrigerant may be waste heat such as waste hot water anda cooling tower, respectively whereby further economical utilization ofheat and cold is made possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b are schematic views of one example of an adsorptionthermal energy storage apparatus according to this invention showing itsside elevational view in cross-section and its front elevational view inpartial cross-section, respectively; and FIG. 1c and FIG. 1d areschematic views of a variant of the adsorption thermal storage apparatusshown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, showing its side elevational view incross-section and its front elevational view in partial cross-section,respectively.

FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b are schematic views of another example of anadsorption thermal storage apparatus according to this invention showingan internal plan view and an internal elevational view in partialcross-section, respectively.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 7 are diagrammatic plumbing views of one embodiment of anadsorption thermal storage system according to this invention, showing athermal storage mode, space cooling mode, powerful space cooling mode,space heating mode, and powerful space heating mode, respectively whenthe system is operated.

FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 are diagrammatic plumbing views of another embodimentof an adsorption thermal storage system according to this invention,showing a thermal storage mode, space cooling mode and space heatingmode, respectively, when the system is operated.

FIG. 11 to FIG. 13 are diagrammatic plumbing views of further embodimentof an adsorption thermal storage system according to this invention,showing a thermal storage mode, space cooling mode and space heatingmode, respectively, when the system is operated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Examples of the adsorption thermal storage apparatus and the adsorptionthermal storage system of this invention will be hereinbelow describedin more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show each main elements of an adsorption thermalstorage apparatus pertaining to this invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1a and 1b, the apparatus is formed of a laterallyelongated cylindrical vessel 1 which is internally maintained in vacuumand sealed with a refrigerant. The upper part of the vessel 1 forms anadsorbent heating or cooling section a wherein a plurality of heattransfer tubes 3 having a plurality of fins 2 arranged axially inparallel and orthogonally to the tubes are vertically disposed in rowsat given intervals to constitute heat transfer surfaces, and anadsorbent material 4 is packed and held between respective files offins. Each file of the fins 2 intervening the adsorbent material 4therebetween is covered with a net to support and retain the adsorbent(as shown by broken lines).

On the other hand, the lower part of the vacuum vessel 1 constitutes arefrigerant condensing or evaporating section b which comprisesrefrigerant holding surfaces 5 in the form of axially elongated dishesand a plurality of heat transfer tubes 6 placed in the dishes, whichtubes may have fins or may not.

The adsorbent heating or cooling section a and the refrigerantcondensing or evaporating section b are located in communication witheach other thereby to allow the refrigerant to flow through bothsections a and b. Both sections a and b may be formed within the vessel1 without any separation or partition means (FIGS. 1a and 1b) or may beseparated by a separator or partition wall S (FIGS. 1c, 1d). In thelatter case, both sections a and b are adapted to communicate with eachother through a pipeline equipped with an on-off valve V_(A) for routingtherethrough the refrigerant vapor (FIG. 1d) located externally of thevessel 1.

In one example as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the heat transfer tubes 3 inthe adsorbent heating or cooling section a and the heat transfer tubes 6in the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section b are each unitedtogether at, for example, water chambers at both sides of thecylindrical vessel 1. The heat transfer tubes 3 are connected to aninlet 7 and an outlet 8 disposed outside the vessel 1, both for a heattransfer medium on the heat source side and the utilization side.Likewise, the heat transfer tubes 6 are connected, through the waterchambers, to an inlet 9 and an outlet 10 located outside the vessel,both for a heat transfer medium on the cold source side and theutilization side.

FIGS. 1c and 1d show a variant example of the aforesaid example shown inFIGS. 1a and 1b.

In the adsorbent heating or cooling section a located in the lower part,the heat transfer tubes 3 are connected to a port 7' for the ingress andegress of a heat transfer medium. On the other hand, in the refrigerantcondensing or evaporating section b located in the upper part, for thepurposes of the condensation and evaporation, distinct heat transfertubes are used, namely, heat transfer tubes 6' only for condensation andheat transfer tubes 6" only for evaporation placed in the dish 5.

The heat transfer tubes 6' for condensation are externally connected toa port 9' for the ingress and egress of a heat transfer medium forcondensation, and the heat transfer tubes 6" for evaporation areconnected externally to a port 9" for the ingress and egress of a heattransfer medium for evaporation.

Both adsorbent heating or cooling section a and refrigerant condensingor evaporating section b are, ordinarily, in communication with eachother with the valve V_(A) opened, except that the utilization of coldand/or heat is stopped, in which the valve V_(A) is closed. By theprovision of the valve V_(A), it is possible to store excess thermalenergy thereby to avoid wasteful utilization.

The thermal storage apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is of the same principleas that of FIG. 1, but is constructed of a plurality of integrallyformed, vertically elongated vacuum tubes 11 each having the adsorbentheating or cooling section a and the refrigerant condensing orevaporating section b, instead of separate heat transfer tubes 3 and 6.The heat transfer tubes 11 are housed in a container 1a on the uppersection side and in a container 1b on the lower section side.

Each vacuum tube or evacuated tube 11 is provided, on its inner wall,with a plurality of fins 12 up and down, and is packed, at its upperhalf, with an adsorbent material 4 between the upper fins 12 andprovides, at its lower half, refrigerant holding surfaces by the lowerfins 12.

The upper fins 12 and the upper wall of the vacuum tube 11 thus formheat transfer tubes for heating or cooling the adsorbent therethroughwhereas the lower fins 12 and the lower wall of the vacuum tube 11 formheat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporating the refrigeranttherethrough.

Likewise as in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the upper container 1a is connected tothe inlet 7 in order that the heat source, etc. may heat or cool theadsorbent 4 through the heat transfer surfaces during thermal storageperiod or utilization period whereas the lower container 1b is connectedto the inlet 9 and the outlet 10 in order that the cold source, etc. maycause condensation or evaporation of the refrigerant in the evacuatedtubes 11 through their heat transfer surfaces during thermal storageperiod or utilization period.

In the construction of the adsorption thermal storage apparatus asdescribed above, the adsorbent material to be usually used includes, forexample, silica gel, activated charcoal, activated alumina, zeolite,etc. in granular form or shaped form, and the refrigerant which can beused includes, for example, water, freons, alcohols, etc.

The foregoing apparatus is further constructed so that thermal energycan be stored by heating the adsorbent 4 with the first heat transfermeans connected to a heat source to give off the refrigerant in gaseousstate and simultaneously condensing it in liquid state with the secondheat transfer means connected to a cold source whereas cold is generatedby the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid and heat isgenerated by the heat of adsorption when gaseous refrigerant is adsorbedin liquid state, and the cold and heat can be utilized singly orsimultaneously.

FIG. 3 to FIG. 13 show examples of adsorption thermal storage systemseach incorporating the adsorption thermal storage apparatus A asdescribed above and various operation odes of them, for example,including an economical and efficient operation by means of acompression refrigerator utilizing nighttime electric power.

In accordance with respective examples, each adsorption thermal storagesystem comprises the adsorption thermal storage apparatus A asillustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 pertaining to this invention; an energysupply side apparatus 20 including a heat source 22 for heating theadsorbent and a cold source 23 for condensing the refrigerant; and autilization side apparatus including an exothermic heat source 24, autilization equipment 25 and an endothermic heat source 28, allconnected through pipelines.

Now each example will be described.

In an example shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 7, the adsorption thermal storagesystem comprises the adsorption thermal storage apparatus A; acompression refrigerator 20 of a known construction including acompressor 21, a condenser 22 and an evaporator 23; and a cooling tower24, an air conditioner 25 and an air-cooling coil 28. This system isapplicable to air conditioning operation for space cooling or spaceheating, or hot water or cold water supply operation.

FIG. 3 shows a thermal storage mode when the adsorption thermal storagesystem is operated, wherein the condenser 22 of the compressionrefrigerator 20 serves to heat the adsorbent to desorb the refrigerantin gaseous state, concurrently with which the evaporator 23 cools therefrigerant vapor to condense it in liquid state. Thermal energy storageis thus performed by heat from the condenser and cold from theevaporator 23 as shown in bold lines. At that time, the first heattransfer means in the adsorbent heating or cooling section a of theadsorption thermal storage apparatus A is put in communication with thecondenser 22 through an on-off valve V whereas the second heat transfermeans in the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section b is put incommunication with the evaporator 23 through an on-off valve V'. Usuallythis thermal storage operation is carried out during nighttime byutilizing nighttime electric power, and accordingly, cold and heat aregenerated and utilized during the daytime. This operational embodimentpermits to level off the utilization of electric power.

The adsorbent heating or cooling section a of the adsorption thermalstorage apparatus A is connected to the cooling tower 24 via change-overvalves such as three-way valves V₁, V₂ interposed in the heat-releasingside pipeline 26 whereas the refrigerant condensing or evaporatingsection b is connected to the air conditioner 25 through change-overvalves such as three-way valves V₃, V₄ interposed in the heat-absorbingpipeline 27. Mutually opposed three-way valves V₁, V₃ and V₂, V₄ areconnected to each other, respectively.

Pumps P are provided in the heat-releasing side pipeline 26 andheat-absorbing side pipeline 27. The on-off valves V and V' are providedin the adsorbent heating or cooling pipeline common to theheat-releasing side pipeline 26 and in the refrigerant condensing orevaporating pipeline common to the heat-absorbing side pipeline 27,respectively.

In the heat-absorbing side pipeline 27, the endothermic heat source 28such as waste hot water is interposed so as to be in communication withthe refrigerant condensing or evaporating section b.

FIG. 4 illustrates a space cooling operational mode, more particularly,a daytime cooling operational mode wherein the compression refrigerator20 is stopped and thermal energy stored by the thermal storage operationas shown in the bold lines in FIG. 3 is utilized.

The communication manner of the pipelines upon operation is shown inbold lines.

The on-off valves V, V' are closed, the three-way valves V₁, V₂ aremanipulated so as to put the heat-releasing side pipeline 26 incommunication with the cooling tower 24 as an exothermic heat source,and the three-way valves V₃, V₄ are manipulated to put theheat-absorbing side pipeline 27 in communication with the airconditioner 25.

At this time, adsorption occurs in the adsorbent heating or coolingsection a of the adsorption thermal storage apparatus A and adsorptionheat given off from the adsorbent material 4 is released to the coolingtower 24. Concurrently, cold is generated in the refrigerant condensingor evaporating section b by latent heat of evaporation of therefrigerant and supplied to the air conditioner 25, which is operatedfor space cooling.

During this utilization period, it is also possible to simultaneouslydrive the compression refrigerator 20 as is the case with the thermalstorage operation mode. This high powered space cooling operation modeis shown in FIG. 5. In this case, since the compression refrigerator 20acts as a usual refrigerator, both cold fed from the cold source of therefrigerator 20 and cold generated from thermal energy stored aresupplied to the air conditioner 25, so that more efficient space coolingoperation is permitted.

On the other hand, heat generated from thermal energy stored by thermalstorage operation can be utilized for space heating operation.

FIG. 6 shows such space heating operational mode.

The on-off valves V, V' are closed and the three-way valves V₁, V₂ aremanipulated to put the heat-releasing side pipeline 26 in communicationwith the air conditioner 25 and the three-way valves V₃, V₄ aremanipulated to put the heat-absorbing side pipeline 27 in communicationwith the endothermic heat source 28. Heat is generated by adsorptionaction to the adsorbent 4 in the section a of the adsorption thermalstorage apparatus A and supplied to the air conditioner 25 whereas adefinite amount of heat is imparted to the heat transfer tubes of therefrigerant condensing or evaporating section b from the endothermicheat source 28 thus avoiding temperature dropping of the heat transfersurfaces due to latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant.

As the endothermic heat source, an air cooling coil may be generallyused, but when the environmental temperature falls, for example, in thewinter season, it is preferred to replace the air cooling coil withwaste hot water or the like.

It is similarly possible to drive the compression refrigerator 20simultaneously with the space heating operation as described above,thereby to permit more efficient space heating operation. Thishigh-powered operation mode is shown in FIG. 7. The compressionrefrigerator 20 serves to supply the air conditioner 25 with heat, as ausual refrigerator, and consequently, affords a good heating effecttogether with the heat generated by the thermal energy stored.

The foregoing example is shown in various modes of FIG. 3 to FIG. 7wherein cold or heat is singly utilized, but is not limited to thesemodes and further modes are also possible. For example, the system maycomprise a hot-water supply equipment 24 instead of the cooling tower 24or may comprise a cold-water supply equipment 28 instead of theair-cooling coil 28, whereby a combination of hot-water supply and airconditioning for space heating or another combination of cold watersupply and air conditioning for space heating can be obtained. Suchmodes of utilizing both cold and heat are especially suitable in ahigh-powered operation where compression refrigerator is driven also inthe utilization period (e.g., in the daytime) as is the case with FIG. 5and FIG. 7.

Another example of an adsorption thermal storage system is shown in FIG.8 to FIG. 10, wherein it is possible to incorporate the condenser 22 ofthe compression refrigerator 20 in the adsorbent heating or coolingsection a within the evacuated vessel 1 and to incorporate theevaporator 23 in the refrigerant condensing or evaporating section b.The condenser 22 and the evaporator 23 thus provide heat transfersurfaces for the section a and the section b, respectively.

When the compression refrigerator 20 is operated as shown in FIG. 8, theheat generated in the condenser 22 and the cold generated in theevaporator 23 directly act upon, respectively, the heat transfersurfaces in the adsorbent heating or cooling section b of the apparatusA to cause desorption and condensation actions, whereby thermal energystorage is likewise performed. No pipelines short-circuiting the ingressand egress paths of the heat-releasing side pipeline 26 andheat-absorbing side pipeline 27 are needed, accordingly.

The operation of air conditioning for space cooling shown in FIG. 9 andthe operation of air conditioning for space heating shown in FIG. 10 arepossible only by manipulating the three-way valves V₁, V₂, V₃, V₄ in asimilar manner to the manipulation above. It is likewise possible to usewaste hot water as the endothermic heat source 28 thereby to enhancespace heating capacity.

With this construction, the system per se can be miniaturized more thanthe case with the foregoing example.

As described above, the embodiments stated above in which thecompression refrigerator 20 is combined with the adsorption thermalstorage apparatus A permit to use economical nighttime electric power toperform thermal storage operation, which contributes to the leveling ofelectric power consumption.

Of course, it should be understood that the exothermic heat source 24,endothermic heat source 28 and utilization means 25 are not necessarilylimited to the cooling tower, air-cooling coil and air conditioner inthe examples above.

Measurement was made of the heat quantity stored with the adsorptionthermal storage system shown in FIG. 3 and yielded the result that coldwas 120 kcal/kg and heat was 152 kcal/kg per 1 kg of adsorbent material.

This data is only illustrative, but considering the fact that only 80kcal/kg can be stored with ice as known well, it will be appreciatedthat the thermal storage system according to this invention isrelatively superior.

Further, it is also possible to use waste hot water 20' as a heat sourcefor heating the adsorbent and a cold source for condensing therefrigerant, instead of the compression refrigerator 20 in the aboveexamples.

FIGS. 11 to 13 are each a plumbing diagram showing such example whereinthe essential elements are similar to the above except for the elements20 and 28 in the foregoing figures.

According to a thermal storage mode shown in FIG. 11, the adsorbent 4 inthe adsorbent heating or cooling section a is heated by the waste hotwater 20' fed through a three-way valve V₆ via the heat-releasing sidepipeline 26, concurrently with which the refrigerant condensing orevaporating section b is put in communication with the exothermic heatsource 24 through the three-way valves V₁, V₂, V₃, V₄ and therefrigerant is cooled by a heat transfer medium circulating through theexothermic heat source 24. As a result, desorption action occurs in thesection a and the desorbed refrigerant gas is condensed upon cooling inthe section b whereby thermal energy is stored.

Space cooling operation mode is shown in FIG. 12, wherein the supply ofwaste hot water is stopped and the manipulation of the three-way valvesV₁, V₂, V₃, V₄ put the adsorbent heating or cooling section a (the heattransfer tubes) in communication with the cooling tower 24 and therefrigerant condensing or evaporating section b (the heat transfertubes) in communication with the air conditioner 25. When the adsorbentheating or cooling section a is supplied with cold from the coolingtower 24, adsorption action occurs and simultaneously, the refrigerantis evaporated in the section b to generate latent heat of evaporation.The cold is thus supplied to the air conditioner 25 for space cooling.Here, if the utilization means 25 is a cold water supply equipment, thesystem can be operated to supply cold water.

Space heating operation or hot-water supply operation is shown in FIG.13, wherein the heat transfer tubes in the refrigerant condensing orevaporating section b are put in communication with the waste hot water20' through a three-way valve V₅ and the heat transfer tubes in theadsorbent heating or cooling section a are put in communication with anair conditioner or a hot water supply equipment 25 by the switching ofthe three-way valves V₁, V₂, V₃, V₄. The refrigerant liquid in thesection b is evaporated by the waste hot water 20' (heat source) andadsorbed on the desorbed adsorbent 4 to generate heat of adsorption,whereby heat is available to the air conditioner for space heating orhot-water supply equipment 25.

While the invention has been described with reference to severalembodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various modifications to the adsorption thermal storage apparatusand the adsorption thermal storage system pertaining to this inventioncan be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adsorption thermal storage apparatus formed ofan evacuated vessel which comprises therein a refrigerant, and anadsorbent heating or cooling section and a refrigerant condensing orevaporating section located in communication with each other, saidadsorbent heating or cooling section including an adsorbent material andfirst heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbent and havingheat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbenttherethrough, said first heat transfer means being adapted to beconnected to a heat source for heating the adsorbent, and an exothermicheat source and utilization means on a utilization side,said refrigerantcondensing or evaporating section including second heat transfer meansholding refrigerant liquid and having heat transfer surfaces forcondensing or evaporating the refrigerant therethrough, said second heattransfer means being adapted to be connected to a cold source forcondensing the refrigerant, and an endothermic heat source and theutilization means on the utilization side, which apparatus isconstructed so that thermal energy is stored by heating the adsorbentthrough the first heat transfer means to cause desorption of therefrigerant in gaseous state and condensing the gaseous refrigerantthrough the second heat transfer means whereas cold is generated bylatent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant liquid through the secondheat transfer means and heat is generated by heat of adsorption of thedesorbed adsorbent through the first heat transfer means, and said coldand heat may be utilized singly or simultaneously.
 2. An adsorptionthermal storage apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said firstheat transfer means and said second heat transfer means are separatelylocated, and the first heat transfer means includes heat transfer tubeswith a plurality of fins and the second heat transfer means includesheat transfer tubes and dishes for holding therein the refrigerant andthe heat transfer tubes.
 3. An adsorption thermal storage apparatus asset forth in claim 1, wherein said evacuated vessel further comprisesinternally a partition wall separating said adsorbent heating or coolingsection and said refrigerant condensing or evaporating section andexternally a pipeline equipped with a valve capable of stopping thecommunication between the adsorbent heating or cooling section and therefrigerant condensing or evaporating section.
 4. An adsorption thermalstorage apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first heattransfer means includes heat transfer tubes with a plurality of fins,and said second heat transfer means includes heat transfer tubes forcondensation and heat transfer tubes for evaporation and a dish forholding therein the refrigerant.
 5. An adsorption thermal storageapparatus as set forth in claim 1, which comprises a plural number ofsaid evacuated vessels.
 6. An adsorption thermal storage apparatus asset forth in claim 5, wherein each of said first heat transfer means andeach of said second heat transfer means integrally constitute a heattransfer tube provided internally with a plurality of fins, the body ofsaid heat transfer tube constituting said evacuated vessel.
 7. Anadsorption thermal storage system comprising:an adsorption thermalstorage apparatus formed of an evacuated vessel which comprises thereina refrigerant, and an adsorbent heating or cooling section and arefrigerant condensing or evaporating section located in communicationwith each other, said adsorbent heating or cooling section including anadsorbent and first heat transfer means supporting thereon the adsorbentand having heat transfer surfaces for heating or cooling the adsorbenttherethrough, said refrigerant condensing or evaporating sectionincluding second heat transfer means holding the refrigerant and havingheat transfer surfaces for condensing or evaporating the refrigeranttherethrough; a heat source for heating the adsorbent adapted to beconnected to the first heat transfer means; a cold source for condensingthe refrigerant adapted to be connected to the second heat transfermeans; an exothermic heat source for cooling the adsorbent adapted to beconnected to the first heat transfer means; an endothermic heat sourcefor evaporating the refrigerant adapted to be connected to the secondheat transfer means; and utilization means for cold or heat adapted tobe connected to the first and second heat transfer means; saidadsorption thermal storage apparatus, said heat source, said coldsource, said exothermic heat source, said endothermic heat source andsaid utilization means being inter-connected so that when said system isoperated, during thermal storage period, thermal energy is stored byputting the heat source and the cold source, respectively, incommunication with the first and the second heat transfer means, therebyto desorb the refrigerant in gaseous state and condense it in liquidstate whereas during utilization period, cold is generated by puttingthe exothermic heat source and the utilization means, respectively, incommunication with the first and the second heat transfer means, andheat is generated by putting the endothermic heat source and theutilization means, respectively, in communication with the second andthe first heat transfer means, thereby to evaporate the refrigerant andadsorb it in liquid state, said cold and heat being utilized singly orsimultaneously.
 8. An adsorption thermal storage system as set forth inclaim 7, wherein said heat source and said cold source are housed insaid adsorption thermal storage apparatus.
 9. An adsorption thermalstorage system as set forth in claim 7, wherein when said system isoperated, during said utilization period, the heat source and the coldsource are put in communication with the first and the second heattransfer means, respectively, whereby further low-temperature cold andfurther high-temperature heat are generated and utilized singly orsimultaneously.
 10. An adsorption thermal storage system as set forth inclaim 7, wherein said exothermic heat source is a cooling tower; saidendothermic heat source, an air cooling coil or waste hot water; andsaid utilization means, an air conditioner, a cold water supplyequipment or a hot water supply equipment, whereby cold or heat isutilized.
 11. An adsorption thermal storage system as set forth in claim9, wherein said exothermic heat source, said endothermic heat source andsaid utilization means are, respectively, a cooling tower or a hot watersupply equipment; an air cooling coil or waste hot water, or a coldwater supply equipment; and an air conditioner whereby cold and heat areutilized simultaneously.
 12. An adsorption thermal storage system as setforth in claim 10, wherein said heat source and said cold source are acondenser and an evaporator, respectively, of a compressionrefrigerator.
 13. An adsorption thermal storage system as set forth inclaim 11, wherein said heat source and said cold source are a condenserand an evaporator, respectively, of a compression refrigerator.
 14. Anadsorption thermal storage system as set forth in claim 12, wherein saidthermal storage period is nighttime, and said utilization period isdaytime, and said compression refrigerator is driven by nighttimeelectric power.
 15. An adsorption thermal storage system as set forth inclaim 13, wherein said thermal storage period is nighttime and saidutilization period is daytime, and said compression refrigerator isdriven by nighttime electric power.
 16. An adsorption thermal storagesystem as set forth in claim 7, wherein said heat source and saidendothermic heat source are each waste hot water; said cold source andsaid exothermic heat source are each a cooling tower; and saidutilization means is an air conditioner, a cold water supply equipmentor a hot water supply equipment.